With an Alexander Kristoff and Søren Wærenskjold who have been plagued by illness, Jonas Abrahamsen has been Uno-X’s best card in this year’s classics. That was also the case in Dwars Door Vlaanderen on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old fought for victory in the race after joining the decisive group. But when this year’s overall winner in Paris-Nice, Matteo Jorgenson, ran away with six kilometers to go, victory was out of reach.
The Uno-X rider, on the other hand, smelled second place, and tried an attack with two kilometers to go.
– Glory, Jonas Abrahamsen! It could be the best classic result for Uno-X, said Discovery commentator Theis Magelssen when Abrahamsen attacked.
He was brought back in before the race, but in the sprint he was the best and took a strong second place. It is Uno-X’s men’s team’s first podium in a one-day race at World Tour level.
– An insane achievement and perhaps the culmination of his development as a cyclist. What steps he has taken in recent years, exclaimed Magelssen.
Homage
The Grenland plow was part of today’s original break, but when the break was brought in with 40 kilometers to go, there was still a lot left in the tank of “The Plow from Skien”.
Together with Matteo Jorgenson, Tiesj Benoot, Stefan Küng, Dries de Bondt, Joshua Tarling and Alberto Bettiol, Abrahamsen fought for victory in the race.
Abrahamsen was very strong several times and closed the gaps that arose.
– That response in the legs is raw to see, said Discovery commentator Magelssen.
Bettiol, who almost seemed to recover from all of them, had to give up when he suffered a cramp in his left leg.
In the front group, it was finally Jorgenson who managed to pull away with six kilometers to go. The remaining riders in the group just looked at each other and had to miss out on the victory.
– I think it will be more and more difficult for Abrahamsen to go under the radar. Now he must appear on the wish list of several international World Tour teams, if they want a strong rider who can withstand anything and who is always fit. He is always at least a seven out of ten, the last few rides he has been nine out of ten, but today you are ten out of ten, said Discovery’s commentator.
Discovery expert Henrik Evensen also allows himself to be impressed
– He has obviously made great strides and shows enormous stability when many of the supposed best at Uno-X do not. I like the way he attacks the bike races.
– Watch out for Abrahamsen in Paris-Roubaix, he concludes.
The case continues below the video.
Van Aert on the crying after an ugly fall: – Complete star fall
Van Aert in tears
Dwars door Vlaanderen was for some a cruel day at work. 67 kilometers before the finish, several big names hit the ground, including Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen. The TV images picked up the sound of a van Aert crying after the horrific rollover.
Discovery expert Evensen believes it is difficult to know whether it is pure physical pain or the disappointment that Flandern is smoking around.
– It is difficult to say what the reaction is due to, but my assessment is that he realizes that in four days Flanders will be tougher than expected – if there will be anything at all. He has sacrificed a lot to be in shape now. Long hill climbs away from the family, many rides he has been through, etc. Then it is extra heavy when a rollover is about to destroy.
The Belgian was sent to the hospital for further examinations. There it was later concluded with a broken collarbone and several broken ribs.
– This was where he was supposed to get in shape for Flanders, and then he ends up on a stretcher, said Magelssen.
